1. Field of the invention
The present invention relates generally to a flat belt type chassis dynamometer for bench testing an automotive vehicle. More specifically, the invention relates to a flat belt type chassis dynamometer of compact construction to be conveniently installed in a test plant.
2. Description of the Background Art
In the automotive industries, bench testing apparatus has been used for testing performance of the vehicle. For instance, the bench test is typically performed for each completed vehicle in the automotive manufacturing plant. In one of the typical constructions of bench testing apparatus a pair of rotary drum are provided to be rotatingly driven by the engine driving torque transmitted thereto via vehicular driving wheels. The rotary drums are associated with a dummy load, such as a flywheel, for duplicating vehicular traveling resistance, and a dynamometer for measuring driving torque exerted on the rotary drum. Also, U.S. Pat. No. 3,520,180 to V. D. Polhemus et al. discloses a road simulator for vehicle suspension system evaluation including, for each suspended wheel, a simulator unit comprising a pair of drums mounted on a spring suspended frame and linked by a flat belt. A roller pad defining a flat wheel support surface contacts to the frame. A hydraulic actuator is directly connected to the roller pad to permit vertical displacement inputs of varying frequency to be applied to the pad.
The prior proposed belt type bench testing apparatus additionally employs an external dynamometer which is connected to an intermediate coupling. External connection of the dynamometer may necessarily cause increasing of the bulk size of the testing apparatus. The bulky testing apparatus requires a wider space for installation in a test plant.